Parachute.



A. B. MAYES.

PARAGHUTB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1911.

LGOQNG@ Panted N0v.28,1911.

z SHEETS-sum1.

W25 J4 jf A. B. MAYES.

PARACHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED MARy 20, 1911.

Patented NOV. 28, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

/lllventor Witnesses Attorneys ACEPH B. HAYES, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PARAUHUTE.

'Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed Iarch 2D, 1911-.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 615,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ACEPH B. MAYEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Parachute, of which the following is a speci iication.

This invention relates to an improvement in parachutes.

The primary object of said invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient device of this character which may be conveniently supported adjacent the window of a building or which may be readily carried by a balloon or air ship.

A further object is to lso construct the device that while not in use the same will occupy but little space, this feature being oit' particular advantage when the device is used on an air ship or balloon where it is desired. to provide a structure which oiiers the least possible resist-ance to the air.

ln the drawings g-Figure- 1 is a view of the device in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same extended. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and F ig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner of supporting the parachutes.

The invention consists in mounting a plurality of parachutes one above the other, said parachutes varying in diameter, the uppermost parachute bein of the greatest diameter; the parachute being supported by teleseoping members which permit the hoodsl to nest when the device is not in use. The device forms an effective fire escape when applied to a building and the same is of such construction that it may as before stated be used on aerial craft.

In the drawings, 10 designates a solid rod or shaft which is provided at its upper end with a hanger 11. Slidably arranged on said shaftA is a sleeve 12 which is about twothirds the length of the shaft. A second sleeve 13 being slidably mounted on the first mentioned sleeve, said sleeve 13 being about one-half the length of the sleeve 12. Each of these sleeves and the rod member are adapted to support a parachute, the rod member beingl screw-threaded adjacent its upper end and provided with a plurality 'of nuts 14 and 15 which embrace an aluminum Washer 16, said washer being in the nature of gromet and being arranged centrally of the material 17 which forms the parachute, the parachute being reinforced with strips 17 of Whale bone. The material 17 which may be of canvas is of the usual hood con* struction and extending at different points from its edge portion are ropes 18 which converge and which are secured to nuts 14 and 1,5 which are carried by the sleeve 12 iand which grip a gromet 16 in the same manner that the nuts 14 and 15 grip the gromet 16. Secured on the end portion of the sleeve 12 and embracing the rod 10 is a sleeve 19, said sleeve housing ball bearings 19 which facilitate the movement of the sleeve on said rod. The gromet 16 supports-a hood on the sleeve 12 in the same manner thatthe hood 17 isV supported on the rod 10 and a hood 2() is similarly sup ported on the lsecond sleeve 13 this hood being of less diameter than the central and upper hoods, said hoods being ol' such configuration as to nest as shown in 1"1g. 1.

In Fig. 1, the end portion of the sleeve 12 is flush with the nut 15 and the bearing 19 is in contact with the nut 15', the paraehutes being nested; a pivoted latch member 21 being employed to hold the sleeves in this position. It will be seen that as this latch member is released, the weight of the sleeves ,will cause the two lower parachutes to assume Ithe position shown in Fig. 2.

A nut 10 on the lower end of the rod 1() forms a stop for 'the sleeve 12 and a nut 12 on the sleeve 12 forms a stop for the sleeve 13. Arranged on the sleeve 13 is a circular platform 23 which will support one or more persons, suitablebelts being secured to the sleeve in order to properlysupport the occupant. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the device is supported by a building, the Wall 24 of which is provided with the'rigid'arm 25 to the outer end of which is pivotally connected an L shaped latch member 26, said latch member having its ofi set end portion beveled and adapted to receive a pivoted bar 27 which is supported by the wall 24, a coiled spring 28 holding said latch member `in contact with said bar, the latch member being provided with an eye 29 to which the releasing cord 30 is attached, theI releasing cord being passed around the parachutes and secured to the sleeve 13, the hanger 11 being supported by the pivoted bar 27. It will be noted that the 'arms 25 and 27 are so spaced from a window B1 that a person may step from said lwindow to the platform carried by the sleeve 13 and after the person has reached said platform the may be provided with a booth in which thev apparatus may be placed when not in use, this booth being provided with a rail on which the device may be support-ed at its base, a similar rail being provided for supporting the upper end of the apparatus, the two rails thus forming a track, a traveler being supported by the upper rail to which the loop ll may be secured, means being provided for releasing said loop to allow theA apparatus to descend. lVith a construction of this sort, it will be noted that the device will be protected from the weather, the peculiar arrangement of the tracks permitting the same to be readily removed from the booth.

It will be noted that a device of this character is particularly adapted for use on hotel and oiiice buildings, the same being capable of being folded to occupy but little space, the parachutes being readily extended when it is desiredwto use the device.

Particular attention is called to the manner of supporting and connecting the hoods or parachutes the iexible connecting cables 1S permitting the hoods to nest said cable readily unfolding as the sleeves descend, the spacing of the sleeves and rods when the device is in an extendedposition holding said cables taut.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a plurality of telescoping members and a parachute arranged on each of said members.

2. In a device of the class described, a rod, a plurality of sleeves slidably arranged on said rod, a parachute supported by each of said sleeves and said rod, and {iexible connections between said parachutes.

3. In a device of the class described, a rod, a parachute supported by said rod, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, a parachute supported by said sleeve, a second sleeve provided with a parachute and adapted to slide on the first mentioned sleeve, said second sleeve being provided with a platform.

Ll. In a device of the class described, a rod, a parachute supported by said rod, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, a parachute supported by said sleeve, a second sleeve provided with a parachute and adapted to slide on the first mentioned sleeve, said second sleeve being provided with a platform, and means for holding said parachutes in nested position.

5. In a device of the class described, a rod, a plurality of sleeves slidably arranged on said rod, a parachute supported by each of said sleeves and said rod, a flexible connection between the edge portion of one parachute and the supporting means of an adf jacent parachute.

, 6. In a device of the class described, a plurality of extensible members, a parachute supported by each of said members, each of said parachutes being providedI at its point y of connection with a washer, and a jam nut .arranged to bear against the upper and 8. In a device of the class described, a

plurality of telescoping members, and a parachute arranged on each of said members, said parachutes nesting when saidl members are telescoped.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ACEPH B. MAYES.

Witnesses: y

C. MCMILLEN, NORMAN y ATKINSON, 

